Potato slicer and spreader



March 2 7, 1951 Filed Feb; 14, 1949 J. MILLER POTATO SLICER AND SPREADER4 Sheets-Sheet l act:

John Mi/ler INVEN TOR.

March 27, 1951 M|L| ER 2,546,767

POTATO SLICER AND SPREADER Filed Feb. 14, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 0 0; 0 N3% g N V &

6s o In k g O I\ John Mil/er INVENTOR.

March 27,- 1951 J. MILLER POTATO SLICER AND SPREADER Filed Feb. 14, 19494 SheetsSheet 3 John Mil/er IN V EN TOR.

' w a'm' March27, 1951 J. MILLER POTATO SLICER AND SPREADER 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 14, 1949 Patented Mar. 27, 1951 umrso suresPATENT 2,546,767

PQTATO; SLICER AN-HSBBEADER John-Miller, Wasco, Gal-if? pn iea'mrt-Eehnuam 14, 1949, Seriad;Noa76,- 216 4 Claims: 1.

lstribute-potatoes for dryin us d, for animal; feed; p ep: arationqfflour and almholicpurposes.

an the im ertant' ob ect of. hi invention. i to slice 01; out; potatoesinto small, segments, or' hips and. distr biite r snr adi hec hips upnct e nndi nac mmann r dry g. p p se Yet another object; f thisinvention is to conmt ma h e or; and ing, a dsli ing n t e oe whi h. mahine may have ts parts r adily d; ickly. adiust di q as to adapt the.machine v W k nd r var ous c ndit ns. o be eas y mqvedpver thegroundand; at the sa timauto, automatically slice. a number of potatoesinto. chips or. slices and deposit the same on the. ground; so that thechipsor slices-may be rapidly and'thoroughly dried.

A merit. orious feature of this invention resides 20,

in, the provision of a wheeled bin or hopper, through which an endlessconveyor revolves; the latter having means for removing a, number of'the potatoes or the like products from the hopper carrying the sameacross rigid-cutters; which ex tend laterallyin avertical adjustablemanner; from the bin; whereby the potatoes are" cutinto" chips or smallpieces andiareallow d to fall to" the ground fordrying purposes in auniformmanner;

Theseand ancillary objects andother-structural features of merit are-atta-ined-by this invention, a preferred embodiment of'which is-setforth in the following description andillustrated int the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 isa top planview of a machine; con structed; in accordance withthe principles'of the instantinvention,- and capable of carrying out theobjects of the instant invention;

Figure Zisan end elevational view thereof y Figure 3 isavertical'longitudinal sectional viewtaken substantially on the: line:3"3; and illus trating the endless conveyor and rigid cutter as sociatedtherewith;

FigureA-isaldetaiJ fragmentary andelevationa-l" view;

Figure l is an. enlarged? sectional view takem substantially online:5-5'of =Figure-4 Figurefizisa viewin perspective 01 a:portiorrof-therigid cutter; and;

Figure '7 is a sectional"view--taken on-line*|+1?" offFigure-3a Atthepresent-time; surplus potatoes; are; al lowed to-dryinafield; before*thesame, are emv ploysd for animal feed? dairy feed; flour onetime 55 5potatoesofruoml the carrier. andlt-hrowing them on time;involvedlscpnsiderablylessy since the same:-

5 pledito attractor"or"similar"p;owered"unit and thegroundi However; thedrying ofthep'otatoes, in, the conventional? manner, involvesconsiderable. wast'e sincevvsome: of thepotatoes are liable to, rot if?they dry prior to; the majority. of"the; potatoes and further involves agreat deal of space andii'nconvenience. Also av sanitary prob-- lem isinvolved". in that, when the potatoes. are dryingran unpleasant odor is,present" andja great: deal? of" insects are drawn to; the dryingpotatoes;

Inasmuchnasia largenumber: ofwhole. potatoes; require a periodfoftwo; orthree, months for the drying'pztocessi-to-be. complete; the sameprovides:

a. breeding place" forrflies; tuber moths" and the likeinsects:

Therefore; it isqthe primary aim and" purposeof" this inventionitoiprovide" a' novel means for drying; the-potatoes; whereby the presentdry ing; processrmaybe' obviated andthe: defejets attendanttherewitlr'may be corrected-:- With the device; constructed inaccordance" with the instant' invention, the potatoes-maybe easily'and'conveniently cut into 'small" pieces and" deposited uniformly orr thegroundi where the chips? or pieces will be thoroughly dried inabout'fi've or tenhours: Itcangthus; be appreciated that; the

numberof potatoes; when: cutintmchips and" dis tributed evenlyonthegroundi will dry "in: about ten* hours; whereas i'tlre"conventional method of drying'theipotatoesrequiiestWoor three months;Referring now- 'more"particularly to the draw ing sy this inventionygenerall'y designatedby the character, reference: I03 menses a frame 52.formed b'y'-a:1. pair; of op osed" longitudinally err-.-

tending -bars orimembers" l'd iand'lti; which are j oinecF'attheir-opposite; endsby' transversely disposeddendfmemb'ers: l8?Aidesiflaresecuredl totherframe'by theopposing 'end;of gripes or U-shapedgbraclfets'iZ? WH'eelsZ lare rotatably carried 'by thewopgosingerrdswf the; axles 20:

The fronvwheehassembly'26isswive1ly mount: ed to, thefront portionoitheframe as at 28am is providefwith;ayoke."305to whichiisattached. adraw'bar-Mfiwhereby the framemay bercoupulled overw-theyground." Ahopper orrbin ilisv mollntedioir theframe' forrcarryingjhe potatoes.or'likeproduceandisformedwith: vertically dis.-

posed', end; walls": and dovmwardlyandiiinwardly slanting:longitudinally: extending: opposed side;

wall of the bin and a pair of opposing baffle plates 46 and 48 extendoutwardly from the bin at opposite sides of the opening and terminatebeyond the side wall of the bin. A bottom wall 50 extends laterally fromthe bottom wall of the housing defining a prolongation of the bottomWall and is positioned between the lower edges of the opposing baflies56 and 48. minates in an unattached arcuate end 52.

A housing 54 projects outwardly from the bin and is pivotally disposedbetween the opposing baifie plates. The housing 54 includes a pair. ofopposing side members 56 and 58. Elongated side bars 60 and 62 aresupported on the upper edges of the side members by means of connectingbars t, whereby the side bars are spaced upwardly from the upper edgesofthe side members. Similarly, side bars 68 are supported on the loweredges of the opposing side members. Opposing baffle plates 68 and It areformed at the unattached ends of the side members and are joined by atransversely disposed bafile I2 connected to the upper edges of thebaffles 68 and 'ill.

A shaft 14 is transversely journaled to the upper ends of the opposingbaffles plates 46 and 48 and a pulley wheel 16 is fixed on one of theextending ends thereof. The pulley wheel 16 is drivingly connected witha smaller pulley I8 fixed on the extending end of the driving shaft ofthe prime mover 40 by means of a belt 18. A small gear 80 is carried bythe opposing end of the shaft 14 and is drivingly associated with thegear 82 fixed on one end of an axle 84'by means of a connecting chain86. A drum 88 is carried by the shaft 8% and is rotatably disposedbetween the opposing bafiles 36 and 43. An endless conveyor or belt 90is trained around the drum 88 and around a drum 92 rotatably carried bya shaft M transversely journaled between the opposing end baliles 68 and10. I

Cutting or slicing means 96 is transversely dis-.

posed between the bottom bars 66 of the opposing bottom wall 50 andcarry the potatoes Ill into engagement with the cutters which can beadjusted thereto for determining the thickness of the slices. Of course,any of the potatoes which are not completely sliced during the firstrotation of the conveyor belt are returned to engagement with thecutters and are maintained in such engagement, until they are completelysliced. The baflle plates 12 and the opposing top bars 62 and 60 willprevent the accidental dislodgement from the housing of any of the uncutpotatoes.

' I It is advantageous to provide means for rais- The bottom wallterside members and preferably includes a plurality of longitudinallyextending plates 98 having a body plate I03 formed with lateral flangesI02 and I04 disposed at the opposing longitudinal side edges thereof.The body proper is formed with a plurality of aligned and staggeredcutters I05, in a manner familiar to the art. .Slotted straps I08 extendintegrally from the free edges of the flanges and are attachedto theopposing lower bars of the sides of the housing in an adjustable manner.Thus, suitable fastening means I II] is disposed in the elongated slotsin the straps and secured to the opposing bars, so that the cuttingplates may be adjusted with respect to the conveyor for defining theshape of the chips or slices of potatoes. I

In thelatter respect, it is to be noted that a plurality of transverselydisposed longitudinally spaced bars or similar members II2 are formed onthe outer face of the'conveyor belt 90. The bars constitute the meanswhereby the potatoes H4 are removed from the bin and carried intoengagement of the cutters I06. Thus, with reference to Figure 3, it isto be noted that the members 'I I2 remove the potatoes IIII from theground conditions and quantity of potatoes.

ing and lowering the housing since, in that manner, the potato chips orslices may be spread over a larger or smaller area, depending upon theIn this respect, a pair of opposed bars or standards I I6 and H8 arevertically disposed on the shelf 36. A brace bar I20 is transverselydisposed between the upper ends of the standards [I6 and II8 andsupporting or bracing bars I22 and I24 extend diagonally downwardly fromthe upper. ends of the standards, the bracing bars having is carried bythe drum and standard H6 to prevent undesired unreeling or unwinding ofthe drum and to lock the same in a desired position. Cables I36 and I38are carried by the drum and are entrained through pulleys I40 and I42,the latter being secured to the upper bar I20 in a conventional manner.

The cables are trained over sheaves I46 and I48 rotatably carried by theopposing baffle plates 68 and 7G. housing can be raised and lowered tothe desired position and retained in such-position by suitable lockingmeans, such as the pawl and ratchet I34. Of course, if desired, otherconventional locking means can be readily and easily substituted. It

is to be particularly pointed out, with respect to Figure 3, that theunattached end 52 of the bottom wall 50 and the inner end of the cutteror inner section of the cutter sections 96 overlap in slidingengagement. Thus, regardless of the position of the housing, whetherraised or lowered, the bottom wall and inner section of the cutter unitswill be in engagement to prevent the po.-

oif unit of the tractor may be employed for 'ro'-' tating the conveyorby means of a belt transmission system or the like. However, by way ofexample only, the device is shown in connection with an operating meansseparate from the trac "the perforations and the cutter plates and willThus, by winding the drum I30, the Y The prime The potatoes are thus.sliced and the chips or slices will fall through thus be spread on theground. It is to be particularly realized that in the event the potatoesare not sliced completely, the conveyor after one revolution will turnthe partly sliced potatoes to the cutter plates for completely slicingthe same.

It can be seen that there is provided a novelty constructed device,which will effectively and efficiently operate and in such operationwill slice a plurality of potatoes or the like and deposit the same orscatter the same over the ground, whereby the chips or slices may bedried without any waste, within a small space and within a minimum oftime. Of course, after the chips are dried, a conventional sweepingmachine or similar pickup device may be employed for removing the chipsfrom the ground and transporting the same to a suitable storage orbagging place.

If desired, means, I50, may be provided for tightening the conveyor orloosening the same, as desired.

While only one embodiment of this invention is shown and claimed,limitation is only sought in accordance with the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a potato slicing device, the combination of a wheeled hopper, alaterally extending elongated channel shaped housing pivotally carriedby the hopper, an endless rotary conveyor operatively mountedlongitudinally in the housing, means for rotating said conveyor, cuttingmeans formed along the entire length of the bottom wall of the housingand disposed adjacent the lower reach of said conveyor, means foradjusting said cutting means, and means for raising and lowering thehousing.

2. A potato spreading apparatus comprising a wheeled hopper having anopening formed in one of its walls, an elongated channel shaped housingpivotally carried at one end by the hopper and extending outwardlytherefrom, said housing being aligned with the opening in the hopper,cutter members disposed along the entire length of the bottom wall ofthe housing and a rotary conveyor mounted in the housing and having alower reach passing over the bottom wall of the housing, and meansformed on the conveyor for extracting potatoes from the hopper andmoving them over the bottom wall.

3. A potato spreading apparatus comprising a wheeled hopper having anopening formed in one of its walls, an elongated channel shaped housingpivotally carried at one end by the hopper and extending outwardlytherefrom, said housing being aligned with the opening in the hopper,cutter members disposed along the entire length of the bottom wall ofthe housing and a rotary conveyor mounted in the housing and having alower reach passing over the bottom wall of the housing, means formed onthe conveyor for extracting potatoes from the hopper and moving themover the bottom wall, and means for raising and lowering the housing andlocking it in selected angular positions relative to the hopper.

4. A potato spreading device comprising a hopper having an openingformed in one of its walls, a housing pivotally carried at one end bysaid hopper and extending outwardly therefrom and in alignment with saidopening, said housing including elongated parallel side walls and cuttermembers forming the bottom wall of said housing, a rotary conveyormounted in the housing and having a lower reach passing over the bottomwall of the housing, and means formed with said conveyor for extractingpotatoes from the hopper and moving them over the cutter members.

JOHN MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 452,034 Platschart May 12, 18911,012,214 Mitchell et a1. Dec. 19, 1911 1,044,070 Mower Nov. 12, 19121,961,009 Nachtigal May 29, 1934

